Akbiaii bomb



M. S ALOUN.

AERIAL BOMB.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28. I918.

Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

U ITED STATES PATENT oninon.

' 'nan'rm satotmnr-cnroneo, ILLINOIS.

- some.

To-all whom *I nay concern.

Be it known that I, MARTIN SALOUN, a

. subject of the Emperor ofAus'tria, residing in the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State oflllinois, have invented new and. useful Im rovements in Aerial Bombs, of which'the ollowing is a specification.

This inventionrelates to an improvement in aeroplane or aerial'bombs, wherein prov1s1on is made for-so controlling the firing action, thatthe bomb may be exploded at any one of a plurality of predetermined distances from the launching point.

The bombof the resent invention is, in a1 or preferred means for exploding on contact, providedwith a firing means including an explosive cap, and an] ignition charge leading to the explosive c arge. The explosive cap is set off practically on launching of the bomb,- and the, flame from said cap fires the ignition char e, and thus reaches the explosive'charge. T e

explosive cap is arranged in. a cy1inder,closed against the surrounding ignition charge except for one or more openings in line with the cap. Between the cylinder and ignitlon charge is arranged a sleeve, formed with a longitudinally disposed series or sets of i openings leading directly to the ignition charge. As the cap containing chamber may be manually adjusted lengthwise the sleeve, so that the openings in said chamber in line with the cap may be brought into" alinement with the openings in the sleeve leading to the ignition charge, the said ignition charge may be fired at any point in its length,'thereby controlling the time of firing the explosive charge as may be desired.

The invention also includes a safety cap for locking the cap firing hammer a ainst possibility of accidental operation in t e ordinary handling of the bomb.

The invention in its preferred form is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation, partly in section, illustrating the improved bomb. I Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, illustrating the firing means.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a plan, illustrating particularly charge.

I bomb including a body 1 having a central ably threaded in place.

The adjustable firing means, with which the present invention is particularly concerned, is mounted a radial bore 6 in the body,'1n communication with the explosive chamber 2." The wall .of the bore 6, near the surface of the body is threadedto receive a'sleeve 7, flush at its outer end with the surface of the body, and fully open at its inner endto-the explosive chamber. Within-the sleeve 7 is arranged a fire directingsleeve 8,.w'h1ch has threaded connection ad acent itsouter end with the sleeve 6.. The

sleeves'6 and 8, below their thread connection are of such relative diameters as to pro Y Patented- Aug. 5, 1919. .4pl lication filed January 26, 1918. Serial No. 214,214. I

vide, an elongated annular space 9, closed at the upper end, and .in open communication at the lower end with the explosive chamber.

This space, which will be hereinafter termed the ignition s ace, is adapted to .be filled with materia 10 forming the ignition The fire directing sleeve 8 is formed throughout its length with a series of longitudinally spaced openings 11, suchopenings being here shown as arranged in diametrically opposed pairs. An adjusting cap 12 is rotatably mounted upon that portioii of the fire directing sleeve projected beyond the body 1, the said cap interfitting with the end ofthe sleeve, as at 13 to hold the cap against other than a rotative movement with respect to the sleeve. v

The cap is formed with a central opening '14 having a threaded wall, and a firing cylinder 15 is arranged for-{threaded connection with the cap, through this opening. The cylinder 15 is exteriorly threaded for the greater portion of its length for coeperation with the cap, and below the threaded portion is mounted for sliding fit. Within the fire directing sleeve 8. The firing cylinder 15 is closed at the bottom, and the wall of the cylinder immediately above said bottom is formed with openings 16. These openings are shown as comprising a diametrically 0p- .posed pair immediately above the bottom,

and preferably slightly greater than the openings'll in the fire directing sleeve.

7 'The firing chamber is held against rota tion within the fire directing sleeve, preferably through diametrically opposed slots 17 in the wall of said sleeve, engaged by ribs 18 on the cylinder. Through turning of the cap 12, the firing chamber may be moved longitudinally to-cause the openings 16 in the latter to register or aline with any desired set of openings 11 in the fire directing sleeve. 12 is preferably provided with a pointer 19, to sweep over an adjacent flattened surface 20 on the body 1,'the latter surface having indicating marks 21, to determine the registry in anpbvious manner.

in explosive cap 22 is to be secured within the firing cylinder, on the bottom thereof, so that the flame from the cap may readily find its way through the opening 10. The cap is adapted to be discharged by a suit able hammer secured upon the inner end of a rod 24.- arranged withinthe cylinder. T he upper end of the rod extends through a holding member 25, in the form of acap exteriorly threaded on the cylinder and having a sleeve 26 depending within the cylinder.

The upper end of the rod is formed With a circular flat head 27 and the sleeve extension of the holding member with an elongated slot 28, of a size to readily permit the passage of the head 27 therethrough, when said head is alined with the slot, but to hold the rod against such movement when the head is turned at right angles to the slot, as Will be apparent from Fig. 5.

The firing action of the pin or hammer, when the latter is free to act. is secured through a spring 29 coiled about the rod-2st and hearing against the firing hammer 23 and the inner end of the extension lVith.

the tiring hammer .in set position, that is, with the head beyond the holding member,

To secure accurate registry the cap and turned transverse the slot 28, the spring under tension, and upon turning the head 27 to aline with the slot, the spring exerts its tensionv to force the hammer inwardly and fire the cap 22.

To prevent accidental release of the hammer there is provided a safety clip, comprising a more or less rigid strip 29 removably secured to the holding member 25 and formed with an elongated slot 30 to receive the head 27 of rod 21. With the safety clip in place as described, it is apparent that the firing pin is held against firing movement as the head 27 is held by the clip 30 crosswise of the slot 28 through which it must pass for firing, and that upon removal of the clip or upon turning the same, to permit the head 27 toaline with the slot 28 the firing pin is released for action by the pressure of spring 29 against the hammer 23.

As described it will be apparent that by turning the cap 12 the firing cylinder may be adjusted longitudinally to aline the openings 16 thereof With any desired set of openings 11 in the fire directing sleeve. The predetermined time of explosion of the bomb is thus provided for, as by means of the selected openings 11 of the fire directing sleeve, the length of the ignition charge be tween the flame of the capand the explosive charge, may be of the desired length, and

hence the time required to set off the explosive charge readily controlled.

In use as an aeroplane bomb directing vanes or Wings'3l may be secured thereto to maintain the bomb in vertical position during flight; The bomb is also preferably pro vlded with a detonating head 32, arranged at what may be termed the bottom of the body, and of any usual or desired form to fire the explosive charge on contact.

Having thus described he invention, What is claimed is A firing means for bombs comprising" spaced concentric sleeves providing an ignijtion charge space between them,,the nner sleeve being formed with alongitudinally arranged series of openings leading to said space, an ad ust1ng cap rotatably mounted on the end of the mner sleeve,a-firmg cylin- L'ler held against other than sliding movc-- ment in the inner sleeve and having threaded connection with the cap, the wall of the cylinder having a set. of openings to regis ter with any of the sets. of' openings in the inner sleeve, and flame producing means in the cylinder arranged to ignite before the launching of the bomb.

In witness whereofI have hereunto subscribed my name this 17th day of January, 1918. r r

, MARTIN siiLoUn. 

